Reviews on books, subscription sample boxes, and anything else that can be bought or had that I have an opinion (or two) on.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Eco-Emi December 2012

As always, Eco-Emi was a delight to receive in December. This is probably the best of all the subscription services I receive. It never fails to deliver - never! Their December box is always generous - I haven't been disappointed in a December box yet!

All the items featured in Eco-Emi's December box are all Leaping Bunny Certified products. What does that mean? Well, the Leaping Bunny Foundation reviews products to insure they are curelty-free - and if they are, they qualify for Leaping Bunny emblem. Here's what was inside December's box:1) blissoma Adaptive Energy Tonique: This is a hydration facial product - and believe me, here in Nevada I can use it!Retail price: $21.99 for 4 oz.2) Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream: I've tried this before, and I like it! In fact, I'm a big Burt's Bees fan. This is a nice size to put in my purse.Retail price: $13 for 3.2 oz.3) Auromere Licorice Toothpaste: Yuck. I was excited that this is a full size product, but um... seriously? Who wants to brush their teeth with licorice flavored toothpaste? Not me, that's for sure.Retail price: $5.99 for 4.16 oz4) Chocolate Mint Lip Butter by Organic Indulgence: I actually received this before - and I am FAIRLY certain it was from Eco-Emi. But... maybe not. Homey is getting older and her memory isn't as good as it used to be. Still, I love having these lip balms as they make nice little gifts for people.Retail price: $2.95

5) Vanilla Bean Granola Chips b Willamette Valley: A nice little treat to try - admittedly I haven't broken into these yet, because I had company for the holidays and it would have been rude to eat these in front of them. I'm taking them with me tomorrow to work - hopefully they are worth every calorie!Retail price: $4.99 for 6.2 oz

6) Aiyana eau de parfum from Tallulah Jane: I absolutely love this scent - it's so me! It's soft and a tad floral, but also kind of hippie-ish. The description states it's a blend of Moroccan Rose balanced with notes of vanilla and rock rose, then brightened with Italian lemon. I normally don't go for rose-scented fragrance, but this I like. Must be the vanilla and Italian lemon that tone down the rose enough for me to enjoy!Retail price: $48 for 1 fl oz.

7) Fundamental Face Scrub: This is one of those hated foil packet samples, but I believe I can get two uses out of this one. And guess what? It's made in my favorite place: the good old US of A!Retail price: $16 for 8 oz

8) 100% Pure Vanilla Bean Nourishing Body Cream: Damn. They had five different scents to give out, and I got Vanilla Bean. Every time I get a lotion, it's either peppermint or vanilla - I would have enjoyed the coconut! I've actually tried other 100% Pure products before, and they are nice. Still... this is one of those dreaded foil packets - enough for one use.Retail price: $15 for 8 oz.

9) Eco-Dent: I received two sample products: a dental gum called Between! and a dental powder in Mint (much better than licorice if you ask me). Still, these are very small samples, and I'm not afraid to say I'm disappointed in the size.Retail price: $1.79 for 12 pieces of gum, and $8.09 for 2 oz. of dental powder

10) Bulldog Skin Care: We received a sample of Original Moisturizer for men - blerg. Last time I checked, I didn't have a penis.Retail price: $6.99 for 3.3 fl. oz.

11) Apricot Eye Therapy by Better Botanicals. Another stingy little foil packet! I feel my inner Grinch reappearing.Retail price: $18.99 for 0.5 oz tubeNitpicks: Five of the samples were one-use only foil packets (although I am fairly certain I can squeeze out two uses from the facial scrub). That was a huge disappointment. This is the most foil packets I've received in an Eco-Emi box - I guess everyone is tightening up their belts lately!Lasting Impression: Because the box was so generous, they survived my subscription box cuts! Plus, Eco-Emi has a waiting list - and I didn't want to go through the hassle of being put back on that list. Last time, it took about three months or so before I was able to join!While I'm disappointed with the over abundance of foil pack samples, Eco-Emi still was one of the best boxes I received in December. They remain one of my favorites!